The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1887-12-02
THE 1NDEP d NDENT CHURCH.
The Leading Points in it's History
Gathered From Authentic Sources

The Leading Points in it's History
Gathered From Authentic Sources.
Editor Morning NeCS: In an article in
your issue of December l, by "Atticus,"
there are statements concerning the history
of the Independent Presbyterian church
which are apt to mislead the public, and /
therefore, though unwillingly, take this
method of giving the facts as obtained from
the records of the church, which / read and
re-read WHILE preparing a synopsis of the
church history, which was published
officially and distributed a few years ago
In addition to the records of ses-
sion and trustees which substantate
my statements, l received communi-
cations, written and verbal, from old mem
bers of both the Independent church and the
First church, many of whom have since
passed away, who were alive when the First
church seeded. The following statements,
therefore, as taken from said history, may
be relied upon, as great care was taken to
introduce nothing but what could be proven
by the records: The original church, COM
posed of members holding doctrines agree
able to the Westminster confession of faith,
received grant from King George II. to
lot K, Decker ward, in the district of Sa-
vannah, province OF Georgia, in the year
| 1856 That the church has been independent
| from the first, is shown 10y the following:
Among the manuscripts Of the Rev. Ezra
| Stiles, d. D., is one dated 1860, enumerat-
| ing the Southern ministers and churches.
| In Georgia onlyetwo are named, viz: "Mr.
| Zubly, of Savannah, Independent Presby-
terian, and Mr. Osgood, of Midway, Con
| gregational" There are other extracts
| from DIR. Howe's History of South Carolina,
| which substantiate the above, but are I'M
necessary to quote, but which, among other
things, give list of the members of the
which at that time included Georgia
mention this church, but does not mention
Mr.. Zubly as minister who was connected
with any presbytery. Dr. Howe informs
Ills that the succession of the old presbyterN
of South Carroll a, which was interrupted
| by the revolutionary war, was not re-
established until 1890
On April IS, 1859, Mr.. Zubly was called
to Savannah from the Independent Pres
byterian church in Charleston. He took
charge of the "lndependeat Presbyterian
| church at Savannah the following year,
1890, being its first PASTOR
In 1905 the church is called the ItdepeL-
! dent Presbyterian church by the Georgia
! Legislature through the charter granted
| that year, and from that time to the present
the same name constantly appears in the
books of the trustees, etc.
After Mr.. Zubly's death the church was
| supplied by various ministers, whose names
are all given down to Or. Kollock, who
came in 1906. DR.. Kollock, prior to 1912,
, having determined to unite himself mot the
church, with the presbytery, consulted his
session, who. latter mature delberation de-
termined that no opposition wo Id be made
to his becoming member of the presbytery,
but that whilst the wishes of their beloved
! pastor would not be opposed, measures
SHOULD be tIllen to prevent the church from
| losing its independent character Accoi d.
gly DR. John Cumming, father of the late G..
B. Cumming, went tcith Dir. Kollock to at
tsnd a meeting of Harmony Presbytery
II Id III Augusta, Ga. When the name Of
John Cumming was called he rose and said
that he appeared there as an Elder of the
church IN Savannah, not as a member of
the pre- hytery, but was delegated by
the church TO declare that whilst the wishes
of the pastor were not opposed, the church
was ana would remain INDEPENDENT He
was accordingly admitted ana the church
! was not committed"
Later, when the charges were preferred
by the pre- ,bytery against Dr. Kollock--in
tact, IN oAe fail of 1Sl2-Dr Golloc1 sent his
resignation to Mr.. Thomson, Moderator of